Wife will be solo wed. night while i'm working and she needs something to do. we are staying in the river north area at the allerton. any recs for a restaurant or wine bar with small plates for a solo diner. thanks in advance.

Not sure if this is near you but Bin 36 is probably what you're looking for. Has 2 ounce pours in flights or regular pours, selection of about 80-100 cheeses, nice list of appetizers. It is right by the House of Blues, in the same building as Hotel Sax. My wife and I went with MJAlbers and his wife while we were in Chicago for the CDP.

You might also try Webster's Wine Bar (clicky).
Around the N Clybourn Ave/Fullerton Ave. area.
Very nice.

Avec! She can eat at the bar and watch the food being prepared. Small plate options and great wines by the glass.

Avec
615 W. Randolph St.
www.avecrestaurant.com

Avec is a very good call. Webster's is more of a social hangout place, she might feel alone there, also it might be really quiet on a Weds night. Avec has a good scene and interesting food& wine & is very close to downtown.

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Originally posted by grossie:
Avec is a very good call. Webster's is more of a social hangout place, she might feel alone there, also it might be really quiet on a Weds night. Avec has a good scene and interesting food& wine & is very close to downtown.

Love Avec, and you can always walk next door to Blackbird!

When I'm eating alone in Chicago I pick either the bar at Frontera Grill or Bin 36

That's shameful, Paul. You should never be eating alone in Chicago!

Usually just on arrival day and 'team dinner day'. Everyone at the day job thinks I only survive on side salads. Normal routine is head to Cheescake factory or some other such nightmare of modern marketing, order a side salad, get the hell out as fast as I can, go to a real dinner on my own.

Frontera Grill and Bin 36 are the most social bars I've been in in Chicago, easy to strike up a conversation with someone intersting and split a bottle of wine with a complete stranger or two.

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chicago wine bar or something for wife

Please send picture of wife, and I'll send picture of wine bar......

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Originally posted by Gigond Ass:

quote:

chicago wine bar or something for wife

Please send picture of wife, and I'll send picture of wine bar......

I've been known to share ...Just wanted to thank everyone for the recs. we ended up going to MK restaurant and took advantage of their 25% off wine deal. she went to Joe's stone crab and andy's jazz bar.